New Orleans Saints finally playing complementary football to help a thriving defense: Film Study

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) sacks Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) for a 5-yard loss in the second quarter during the game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on Sunday, September 22, 2013.
(Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

The last two weeks the New Orleans Saints may have successfully given fans heart attacks by winning games against Atlanta and Tampa Bay by the skin of their teeth. So the opening portion of my postgame film studies chronicled the final drives of the fourth quarters to examine how the Saints pulled of the wins.

This week's version of film study won't necessarily pinpoint one specific sequence for the Saints. The Saints' defensive prowess throughout the 31-7 win over Arizona in Week 3 deserved the full billing from nearly start to finish.

Arizona's first drive was the exception, as the Saints surrendered 80 yards and seven points to open the game. From there, the Saints' defense pitched a shutout and only allowed 167 total yards the rest of the way.

Drew Brees used the adjective "tremendous" twice during his postgame press conference Sunday to describe the way the defense played in the Saints' 31-7 win over Arizona and in the first two games on 2013.

"We as an offense when the defense is playing like that, we're feeding off them," Brees said. "Despite our struggles at times ... It was just, man, the defense was putting a lot of pressure on them and continuing to give us the ball back and give us an opportunity.

"It was only a matter of time before we broke the seal and got things going on all cylinders. To come out of that game only giving up seven points on the opening drive and pick up the turnovers to put a lot of pressure on them, it's big."

DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS

First quarter

(5:24) Cardinals left tackle Levi Brown barely noticed who sprinted past him on a first-and-10 play at the Cardinals' 21. Junior Galette almost stutter-stepped his way past Jones around the edge. Carson Palmer felt the pressure, but all he could do was spin around and shield himself from an oncoming Galette for the Saints' first sack.

(4:04) Rookie Kenny Vaccaro made the first third-down stop on what become a string of 10 Saints defensive stands where the unit held Arizona scoreless the rest of the game. Arizona stacked two wide receivers tightly against each side of the formation. Stepfan Taylor came off his break across the field about one yard past the line of scrimmage. Vaccaro correctly picked up Taylor off the line. Vaccaro shoved Taylor back during the route just before the Cardinals running back made the catch. Vaccaro brought down Taylor right after the catch holding Taylor for a 2-yard gain on third-and-3 at Arizona's 28.

Second quarter

(9:07) It only took one play to show how effective Tyrunn Walker can be in passing situations. I wouldn't say Walker beat Cardinals guard Paul Fanaika as it almost appeared like Fanaika let Walker go while looking to block someone else to set up a screen. But Walker pressured Palmer so quickly on third-and-7 from the Saints' 47 that the play fell apart and Palmer threw an incomplete pass.

(5:50) Cam Jordan and Walker confused the Cardinals' offensive line with a stunt. Jordan initially rushed from the outside but he and Walker crisscrossed shortly after the snap. Both Walker and Jordan beat their blockers. Jordan just reached Palmer first for the sack on third-and-9 at Arizona's 44.

(1:19) Jordan combined speed and power to outmaneuver Cardinals tackle Eric Winston for his second sack of Palmer in the second quarter. Jordan sprung quickly off the ball putting Winston in a bad spot from the start. Jordan pushed Winston back into Palmer and eventually pushed Winston out of the way to corral Palmer. Sack No. 2 on first down

Third quarter

(8:27) Undrafted rookie Glenn Foster picked up right where he left off in the preseason with a clutch sack of Palmer on third-and-7 from the Cardinals' 42 to help stall another drive. Foster lined up at nose tackle on the play. Palmer dropped back to throw and the pocket collapsed as Jordan came in from the edge. Palmer saw a seam up the middle and tried to run upfield away from the pressure. Foster moved off his block to wrangle Palmer for a 2-yard loss.

Fourth quarter

(12:08) Let's be honest. Palmer threw a bad pass first-and-10 at the New Orleans 19 to essentially stymie any chance of a comeback from Arizona. Palmer intended to throw an out route to Rob Housler with Vaccaro falling in on Housler from his safety spot. Palmer threw it high and behind Housler, but threw it right into Vaccaro's hands at the Saints 8. Vaccaro sprinted for a nice return to the Saints' 37.

(4:38) Keenan Lewis broke up 23 passes last season in Pittsburgh, which was near the top of the NFL's stat list. But he didn't have an interception despite his efforts. It took three games in New Orleans to make it happen.

Palmer short-armed his deep ball to Michael Floyd as pressure bared down on Palmer. The Saints had the deep route covered with Lewis and Vaccaro in nice position. The ball came up short, Lewis read the ball and stepped in front of Floyd to make the interception.

SAINTS' HIGHS AND LOWS IN A SNAPSHOT

First quarter

(6:09) Arizona brought a four-man rush on first-and-10 at their own 21 with the Saints driving. It became one of those "Welcome to the NFL" moments for rookie guard Tim Lelito (I feel like I say that every week with the glut of rookies seeing playing time). Veteran Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett simply beat Lelito in a one-on-one matchup cruising around Lelito's right side for a shoe-string sack on Brees.

New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) scores on a 7-yard reception in the fourth quarter during the game between the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints at the Superdome on Sunday, September 22, 2013.Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

BLITZ REPORT

This week I examined every dropback by Palmer as the Saints' defense caused havoc for the Cardinals quarterback. Morale of the story: the Saints didn't need to blitz to create opportunities for sacks and turnovers.

Here are Palmer's results when the Saints blitzed (sent more than four pass rushers):

First quarter

- Incomplete pass to Andre Roberts, more like the Saints sent in more defenders anticipating a run

Second quarter

- Fitzgerald 12-yard reception

- Incomplete pass to Peterson

- Incomplete pass to Roberts

- Incomplete pass to Ellington

Third quarter

- No blitzing

Fourth quarter

- Floyd 13-yard reception

- Fitzgerald 9-yard reception

Total: 3-6, 34 yards

Here are Palmer's results when the Saints didn't blitz:

First quarter

- Floyd 9-yard reception

- Floyd 7-yard reception

- Mendenhall 12-yard reception on a screen

- Fitzgerald 16-yard reception

- Incomplete pass, Curtis Lofton pass interference, no play

- Galette sack

- Andre Ellington 17-yard reception

- Taylor 2-yard reception

Second quarter

- Incomplete pass to Jaron Brown

- Rob Housler 13-yard reception

- Incomplete pass to Ellington, Galette with major pressure

- Incomplete pass to Housler

- Incomplete pass, major rush by Walker

- Incomplete pass to Floyd

- Fitzgerald 1-yard reception

- Jordan sack

- Roberts 6-yard reception

- Jordan sack

- Incomplete pass to Roberts, defensive offsides, no play

- Ellington 8-yard reception

- Ellington 11-yard reception

- Incomplete pass to Brown

- Incomplete pass, major pressure by Jordan

- Incomplete pass to Roberts

Third quarter

- Incomplete pass to Ellington

- Foster sack

- Peterson minus-2 yard reception

- Fitzgerald 11-yard reception, illegal shift, no play

- Incomplete pass to Fitzgerald

Fourth quarter

- Fitzgerald 26-yard reception

- Incomplete pass, major rush by Martez Wilson

- Floyd 20-yard reception

- Vaccaro interception

- Alfonso Smith 7-yard reception

- Lewis interception

Totals: 15-29, 153 yards, four sacks, two interceptions

PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS FILE

This season ProFootballFocus.com has been kind enough to
provide NFL beat writers with weekly gradebooks for the respective team he or
she covers. So here are a few tidbits from PFF's outlook from the Saints-Cardinals
game:

Offensive Summary

- Meachem with 24 snaps, up from 20 last week. Graded out on the plus side.

- Rough game for Lelito. Allowed three sacks and four hurries with some less than stellar run blocking as well.

- Thomas received the bulk of the running work with Ingram out. Played 41 snaps while Sproles played 35.

- Another solid performance for left tackle Charles Brown with just three pressures given up in 54 pass blocks.

Passing

- The Cardinals pressured Brees on 20 of 53 drop backs.

- Brees had a great day on intermediate throws - completed eight of his 11 attempts between 10-19 yards downfield.

- The Saints have been fortunate so far this season as the officials haven't missed on too many calls on either side of the ball. The "in-the-grasp" sack on Brees late in the third quarter may have been the most questionable call of the season, which still didn't turn out too costly, as the Saints scored a touchdown on the drive.

First of all, Dockett owned Lelito once again as Brees was lucky to have even been given a window to unload the football as Dockett popped him again for his third sack. I can see why the officials called it because Brees was curled up as he threw the ball. I can see why the players and the fans wanted the play to continue as Brees gained positive yards. Tough call and completely a judgment call, but as we always hear, the officials will protect the quarterback and that's what they tried to do there.

Plus, the officials correctly ruled the Saints weren't allowed to challenge the play.

- Two plays later, I feel like the Saints were fortunate the officials eventually ruled Graham's TD catch as an incomplete pass rather than a fumble scooped up by Arizona. The play only had two choices: TD or incomplete. It was the right call, but the call could have been a huge momentum shifter if the officials for some reason ruled it a fumble.

- Mathieu tackled Lance Moore on a second-quarter pass interference call with 3:08 left in the half. It's the way I saw it when the play first happened, and it's just as blatant the second and third time I saw it in re-watching the game. A big play on third down that kept the Saints' drive alive.

- Officials correctly called Malcolm Jenkins for an offside penalty late in the second quarter. Jenkins ran up to play tight coverage, but ran up too close lining up offside.